Entering the 3s

I am too many days behind on the birthday post, so lets call it the "Belated Birthday".  Holden, my sweet little baby, is truly a little boy now. Before we know it he will be headed to the bus stop and its happening too fast.  According to Holden, his birthday party was "really cool" and he was so excited to show his room off to his buddies from daycare.   Holden requested a "Monster Truck" birthday party.  He is a huge fan of grave digger.

Monster Truck party food

 Since this was his first real birthday party, I kind of did it up.  Pinterest was full of ideas for a Monster Truck theme.  We used Grave Digger colors, some Tonka Trucks for candy holders and I didn't get a very good close up photo (however, I do have to show off my cake decorating skilz).

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Showing off his Birthday shirt

 I had this bright idea that we needed something to entertain 3 and 4 year olds so I took my happy self over to lakeshore learning and bought some washable art activities, giant stamp pads and dot art (which are really just washable bingo dobbers).  And a giant thing of play dough.   Lesson learned #1: 3 and 4 year old boys would much rather play with cars and trucks.   Total waste of money and a lot of play dough in the carpet (stupid rainy day).

one of the few birthday presents that weren't monster trucks

 Holden got a ton of cool things from his friends.  Lesson Learned #2:  If you have a birthday party with a theme, expect to get lots of toys related to that theme.  Holden has probably every version of a monster truck that is in the toy department.  Its cool, he loves every one of them, especially the ones that make lots of noise.

Really cool cake with Grave Digger!

 Again, have to have the classic birthday shot with the cake.  Holden was just interested in finally getting to play with the grave digger monster truck since we wouldn't let him have it (I need it for the cake decorating!).  Lesson Learned #3:  Do not open presents before cake/ice cream/singing Happy Birthday.  It took all of the parents to round up the kids for the obligatory Happy Birthday, they all wanted to play with the "cool new trucks". 

Day after, cool new fort from his friend Graham and loads of Hot wheels

 All in all, it was a successful 3rd Birthday.  We celebrated in style and Holden is still talking about how much fun he had with his friends on his birthday. 

Happy Birthday!

This is the first of 2 birthday posts, however late.   Holden is 3!   We have his well visit next week but here are his latest tricks.

The growth chart indicates he is 3 feet tall.  About 2 inches taller than 2.5 (we were a little late in the measuring last year)
He is super close to daytime potty trained.  In underwear this week at daycare, so fingers crossed.
He knows about 80% of his letters, he gets hung up on T and B and a few random others
He can recognize some of his numbers and counts to 11 without messing up.  The teens get all jumbled until he hits 20.
He knows his address, but tends to refuse to tell us when we practice
Lastly (to Jeremy and my dismay) he is saying "y'all" and has that southern drawn when he says his "a" sound.  Not sure how to combat this.   On the bright side, his is already a huge Husker football fan.

Now for your video enjoyment:

All About Me

A blogging friend Laura (I have met once in real life at the most awesome race, warrior dash)  posted 11 questions and then asked her readers to answer 11 of her questions. She's offering a chance for an $11 Starbucks card, but I'm really doing it because I have been a total slacker when it comes to my blog lately. Maybe you'll learn something about me.


1. What is your favorite Girl Scout cookie?

Peanut Butter sandwiches, but the shortbread are a close second

2. What is the one item on which you always splurge?
cheese, see number 6.  And chocolate, expensive chocolate always seems to taste better.


3. What's the best book you've read in the last 10 years?
Unbroken and Hunger Games.  Can't decide

4. What is your favorite summer drink?

Vodka tonic with a splash of lime.  Very refreshing

5. Spring or fall?

Fall.

6. If you are not doing your dream job right now, what would it be?

My dream job would be owning and operating a cheese shop.  Charlotte really needs one too.  Just too bad that I'm not that much of a risk taker. 

7. Is there a better movie role model than Maude?

Not sure, haven't seen Harold and Maude and I'm a super slacker when it comes to movies. 

8. If you had $100 to spend at Target, what would you buy?

Really good towels.  Plush "you don't want to take off" towels.

9. Have you ever tried boxed wine? If it was good, what was the brand?

Not since I stole my parent's Franzia out of the fridge. 

10. If you could meet one blogger who would it be?

Motherhood Uncensored, she is a super woman I think

11. If I could photograph you doing anything, what would it be?

I really want to have a good family photo done, but secretly (or not so secretly now) I want a classy pin-up photo taken.

Winter Getaway and Little Catching Up

We spent the weekend with great friends in Boone, NC.  The weekend was perfect.  A little bit of snow, first sledding experience, first hot cocoa, lots of laughs and a very big and time consuming puzzle.   I haven't posted anything since before Christmas so this is a photo filled post to catch up the family.

First Annual Gingerbread Smashing

Not a lot of snow on Day 1

Enough to make snow angels on Day 2

Tis the Season

This is the first Christmas where Holden is starting to understand the magic of the season.  We are having a really fun time watching him experience the holidays.   This year we started what I hope will become long term traditions in our house during the holidays.   We have checked off the obvious ones, decorated the inside and outside of our house.  We are the crazy people on the block with Christmas lights set to music. 

As always we decorated the tree and gave out this year's ornaments to the boys.   Holden helped pick out the tree and helped Dad put the angel on.  Holden has also made the astute observation that we have and angel on our tree and not a star (I hadn't noticed but I guess all of the commercial trees have stars on top).   Holden didn't really want to help put the ornaments on, but he had a blast looking at all of them as we unwrapped them.

 

The second tradition I borrowed from a blog friend, Laura.  Holden and I built his first gingerbread house.  Holden helped decorate it and we told him that the day after Christmas we can take it outside and smash it with our hammers.  He is definitely excited about the smashing part.  

Holden was hamming it up for the camera

We have also started the Advent Calender tradition.  I looked and looked for an Advent Calender before Thanksgiving and couldn't find one.  Low and behold, Black Friday there were Advent Calenders everywhere.  I never would have thought that the one Christmas item that is not in the stores before Thanksgiving would be an Advent Calender.  But I digress.   

We found a very cool book that does a story for everyday on the Advent Calender.  So, Holden opens his day, eats his chocolate and we read a story.  The thing I like the most about the book is the stories have a Christian theme about a little bear following the star to Bethlehem.  Since we have totally fallen down on the Church going (a story for another day), I have been looking for ways to teach Holden about our faith and the real meaning of Christmas (you know, Jesus' birthday and giving etc.)    Long story short, I really like the book because it a couple of paragraphs a day with a giving or loving message to them.

 

We started collecting a new Christmas Book every year.  It started with the Night before Christmas which Jeremy wants to read to Holden on Christmas Eve.  Then we got the Grinch and this year picked out a new book when we found the Advent Calender Book.  I'm going to keep this up at least until picture books are no longer favored in our house.  

 

One last thing we have done so far, that was met with very enthusiastic eyes.  Here you can get a video message from Santa.  Holden loved his and I have video of him watching his message but not at my fingertips to post. 

I still want to do the following with Holden before Christmas

• Visit Santa (probably this weekend)
• Bake cookies (we have a cookie party with Holden's BFF, Cameron in a few weeks)
• Christmas shop with Holden to start learning about the "giving"
• Make our JibJab electronic Christmas card

Lastly, a few more ideas that we will have to work on as Holden gets a little older and has a bit more patience

• Angel tree or similar giving/volunteering that we can do as a family
• Elf on a Shelf.  This phenomenon has me intrigued.  My only hesitation is will I be able to keep it up for 25 days every year.

Any other suggestions are welcome.  Merry Christmas Everyone!

Our First Date

I got an idea from a blogging friend to take time every once and a while for a special Mommy and Holden date.  Last night we had our first.  It was a little spur of the moment so next time I'll do a better job on the planning end.   We went to get him a haircut which yes you can point out isn't very fun, however he got to watch Looney Tunes, sit in a fire truck car and received a prize and lollipop afterward.  A lot more fun that when I get a haircut.  

We followed up the trip with a visit to the local toy store on a mission to find Thomas the Train stickers.  No luck, what toy store has everything Thomas but no stickers?  Holden's response "we go to Target".   Yep, that's right, my son thinks everything comes from Target.  In our house, its a pretty good bet that it did since our house has pretty much been furnished by Kohl's or Target.  We followed up the evening with a trip to Chick-Fil-A for some chicken nuggets and waffle fries.  


It was a pretty good first date.

Another First

Holden has been very much into Cowboys lately that we had an opportunity to go to a Cowboy Church Fun Day this weekend.  I'm not exactly sure what a Cowboy Church is, however it was a place where Holden got to see horses and Jeremy got to break out the neglected cowboy hat.   Holden loved the horse and he didn't ride very long as both of use were a bit concerned about the lack of Helmet (much to Holden's dismay).  Another first that was much earlier in his life than I would have imagined.